Darryl Brohman to boycott NRL Immortals ceremony in protest of rival Les Boyd’s Hall of Fame induction

In an exclusive interview, Darryl Brohman reveals his agonising decision to miss great mate Dave Morrow’s Hall of Fame induction in order to avoid a scene with Les Boyd.

Darryl Brohman has opted to boycott Wednesday night’s NRL Immortals dinner in the wake of his bitter rival Les Boyd’s induction into rugby league’s Hall of Fame.

The 41-year Origin firestorm has taken another explosive twist with Brohman revealing he will not attend one of the code’s most historic events at the Sydney Cricket Ground in protest at Boyd’s Hall of Fame selection.

The pair have waged a war of words in recent days following revelations Boyd would be admitted to the Hall of Fame - more than four decades after the NSW legend broke Brohman’s jaw in a State of Origin game in 1983.

Boyd was hit with a nine-month suspension, shattering not only Brohman’s jaw, but his hopes of playing for Australia.

Brohman had originally planned to attend the special event - which will see the naming of the code’s 14th Immortal - but the 68-year-old doesn’t want to be in the room when Boyd walks on stage for his Hall of Fame induction.

“I was invited, and I did agree, but I’ve since decided I won’t be going,” said Brohman, now a respected media commentator.

Darryl Brohman (second from left) with late friend and colleague David Morrow (L). Picture: Mark Levy/X

“I wanted to go because Dave Morrow (legendary commentator) is being inducted (into the Hall of Fame) and that is great, but I’ve thought about it and I just don’t want to make a scene.

“So, yes, it’s true, I’m not going mate.”

Brohman, who was making his Queensland debut on the night Boyd smashed his jaw at Lang Park, said the former Manly and Wests enforcer’s elevation to the Hall of Fame was “blatantly wrong”.

“I don’t care if I never hear from him or see him again and he probably feels the same way,” Brohman said on radio 2GB

“I’m 68 and I think I know what is right and wrong and this is wrong.

“I don’t think he should be put on a pedestal.”

Brohman said he didn’t want the NRL’s unveiling of the next Immortal to be tainted by his feud with Boyd.

Boyd will be inducted into the ARL Hall of Fame alongside Lionel Morgan, Ben Elias, Steve Renouf, Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Benji Marshall, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess.

“Seriously, what is the point of going there? What would it achieve? Nothing,” he said.

“I don’t want to draw any more attention away from the people who deserve it.

“That was never my intention. Because that’s the one thing out of all this that does upset me, that I have probably taken away the spotlight away on the 10 who thoroughly deserve to be there.

“I was asked to attend about six weeks ago. I wanted to go and celebrate David Morrow’s achievements in rugby league and sport in general, but if I go there the focus is going to be on me and him (Boyd).

“Whether that’s a right decision or not, I don’t know but that’s a decision I’ve made.

“I must admit the last week has taken a bit of the joy away, but I’ll move on.

“I could lie to you and say, like he said, ‘I don’t give a f**k’ ... well I do give a f**k.

“It does affect me and it does affect my family. I can’t lie and say it hasn’t had any impact on me, it has.

“In saying that I wouldn’t change what I said because I think I’m right.”

Brohman’s boycott comes after Boyd’s daughter Alicia Boyd urged the former Maroons prop to move on with life.

“Unfortunately, the nature of the sport does incur injuries of all types and yes Dad did probably go out that day with an elbow but never intentionally to break a jaw,” she wrote in a social-media post.

“The sport has changed so much over 40 years.

“I would really like to encourage him to think about what he says before he says it and who he is hurting and perhaps seek some advice to leave it behind and let it go.

“In conclusion I would like to say how incredibly proud we as a family are of Dad and all his achievements on and off the sporting field.”

Boyd’s former coach at Wests Roy Masters, a member of the Immortals judging panel, said the 67-year-old deserves his place in the Hall of Fame.

“We should not even be having this debate about Boyd’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame,” Masters wrote on the NSWRL website.

Rugby league legend Les Boyd will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday night.

“He satisfies the criteria which state membership is open to ‘individuals who have competed in the elite premiership rugby league competition in Australia and achieving outstanding feats on and off the field throughout a professional playing career’.

“The wounds of the Boyd-Brohman incident have affected their families ever since that June 1983 night.

“When Brohman left the field injured, he was followed shortly after by a sin-binned Boyd. “I put my head into the Queensland dressing room and said I was sorry,” Les said. “Darryl’s father was with him, and he went off at me, giving me a gobful.”

“The tirade was certainly justified but the Boyd family ask why the bitterness continues, with the attention his inclusion in the Hall of Fame given the same attention by his critics usually reserved for axe murderers.”

Originally published as Darryl Brohman to boycott NRL Immortals ceremony in protest of rival Les Boyd’s Hall of Fame induction